How expensive is it to live in Bali?

Are the prices for living, eating and exploring in Bali as expensive as in Europe?

My last month as a student in Bali is about to start and I have already seen so much of this beautiful island. When choosing the destination for my semester abroad, living costs were an important factor for me. Before coming here, I heard different stories about prices in Bali. Some people said it is “insanely cheap” others told me it has gotten more expensive over the years. I did some research on the pricing of rentals and transportation but did not really know what to expect. After three months, I can say that I spent more than expected, but it truly depends on your way of living. It is up to you whether Bali is cheap or not. It depends on the area you live in, the food you eat and the trips you plan. Compared to Europe, it is definitely cheaper, but small things add up. So here are five questions you should ask yourself before heading to Bali:

1. Where do I want to live?

Renting a place in Bali is definitely one of the biggest expenses. Like every other city or country, this island has the “places to be” with high renting costs, and other areas that are less expensive. You need to decide if you want to rent a fancy villa with a big pool or stay in a smaller homestay. Most students live in Jimbaran, close to the University, or Kerobokan which is next to Canggu and Seminyak (the busier places with nice cafes, beach clubs, and parties). These areas have several villas and apartment complex and the prices are between 200 and 500 euros per month.

2. How often do I want to party?

The good thing is: most of the day and night clubs in Bali are for free. So you can hop from one club to the next without wasting money on entries. The bad thing: alcohol in Bali is not as cheap as you might expect, especially when you´re out at bars and clubs. However, if you love beer you’re on the safe side. The most popular is the Indonesian beer called Bintang and it’s quite cheap to buy both in bars and in local supermarkets. A bottle of liquor, on the other hand, starts with about 10 euro and well-known brands cost up to 20 euro and more. A cocktail in the club is usually around 6 euros.

3. What do I want to eat?

The more touristy places such as Canggu are full of super fancy, Instagram friendly restaurants, and bars. There is nothing you cannot get here: from Acai bowls and exotic smoothies to vegan burgers or classic Pizzas. You will find every food trend that exists. With around 10 euros for a full meal, this is still cheaper than most European countries but it is not cheap. Next to all these places, you will also find local Indonesian restaurants, called Warungs. Here you will get a full meal like Nasi Goreng, Mi Goreng and countless other delicious options for less than 3 euros. The prices also vary on the location. If you live in a touristy place, you can expect higher prices.

4. How do I want to spend my days?

A lot of people that come to Bali dream of yoga lessons in the morning, followed by an afternoon surf and a cocktail for sunset at the beach. You can easily live like this but yoga classes, surf lessons, and gym memberships have equal prices to the ones at home. If you do some research though, you can find free yoga classes in some of the beach clubs or buy a used surfboard on one of the facebook groups to save a lot of money.

Yoga classes in Bali are a bit pricey. Joining a class might be as expensive as it is in Europe. Photo by Wesley Tingey

5. Where do I want to travel?

Traveling in Indonesia is super easy. Bali is not as big as you might think, it is possible to reach most places within a two-hour drive. You will most likely rent a motorbike or “scooter” which gives you the freedom to drive wherever and whenever you want to. It is also easy to find cheap accommodations for the night at the very last minute. Bali is surrounded by countless other beautiful islands that are worth a weekend trip. To most islands you can take the public ferry which leaves twice a day and only costs 2 euros. Faster options are speed boats and airplanes. Depending on your destination, it will cost around 20 to 30 euros for one way. So trips are in general cheap and with only three days of classes, you have a lot of time to explore. It’s very tempting to go on an adventure every weekend!

So all in all most things are cheaper here in Bali, but the small prices also add up. It is up to you if you choose to live here like a local or spend your time in the more touristy and expensive places. One last tip: Learn Bahasa Indonesia and communicate with the locals in their language. You will get better prices and a big smile everywhere!

Asia Exchange is a Finnish company providing study abroad opportunities in Asia Pacific for students from all around the world. Want to get travel tips and new blog posts straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter! If you have any questions about studying abroad, feel free to contact us! We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.